Improvement in car-couplings



.H. H. POTTER. Gar Coupling No. 201,825. Patented March 26,1878.

In vazzZo'r':

Nv PETERS. PHOYO-LITHDGRAPHER WASHINGTON. o C.

UNITED. STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

HENRY H. rorrnn or STERLINGVILLE, new YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF Hrs RIGHT 030 H. n. DOOLITTLE, or PHILADELPHIA, PA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 201,825, dated March 26, 1878; application filed March 15, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. POTTER, of Sterlingville, in the county of- Jefferson and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section, showing the position of the several parts before the coupling is effected; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section, showing the parts after the coupling has been effected; Fig. 4, a perspective view of a modification of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view of sliding plate as used in Figs. 1, 2, and 3; Fig. 6, a view of sliding plate as constructed for modification inFig. 4.

My invention has reference to car-couplings; and it consists of a sliding plate to hold the coupling-pin in position, and prevent it from dropping until the coupling-link is in position to receive it.

It also consists of a device for receiving, elevating, and moving the coupling-link to and through an opening in one of the drawheads, and also for moving the plateframe under the coupling-pin hole, so that at'the proper time the pin will drop through said hole and coupling-link, and thereby effect the coupling.

In the accompanying drawing, the letter A represents a draw-head which carries the operating mechanism. The letter a indicates a plate adapted, as represented, to slide on the upper part of the draw-head, and is provided with lugs a at both the rear and forward ends thereof.

To the under or lower part of the draw-head there are journaled or pivoted arms B, and to the upper ends of these arms there are other arms I), which arms hang from those to which they are pivoted. From these hanging arms there project, from the upper and lower parts thereof, an operating-rod and a directing-loop, which protrude through the face-plate of the draw-head.

The upper operating-rod c is rigidly affixed to the hanging arm; but the lower directingloop 0 is fastened so as to have a swinging motion.

The pivoted arm B may be dispensed with, it

in which case the lugs of the sliding plate are carried up and over the operating-rod e, as indicated at c in Figs. 4 and 6. The operation, however, is the same as in the other case.

The letter 0 indicates a draw-head with the coupling-link held therein by the pin d.

The operation is as follows: The operatingrod and directing loop are moved forward through the face-plate of the draw-head until the sliding plate a is made to cover the coupling-pin hole, when the coupling-pin is placed therein, resting upon the plate. The parts are now all in position to effect the coupling. The draw-head carrying the coupling-pin is next moved toward the other draw-head, or vice versa. The coupling-link passes between the operating-rods e and loop e the face of the draw-head and the loop 0 meet 5 the latter is pushed backward. The loop a strikes the coupling-link, which is thereby raised and carried on a plane with and passed through the opening in the opposite draw-head faceplate, and by the timeit has reached the coupling-pin hole the arm I) has engaged with the rear lug a and pushed the sliding plate from beneath the pin,'whioh drops through the link and the hole beneath, thereby completing the act of coupling.

It will be observed that the coupling operation is done automatically, and that when the coupling has been effected as well as before the mechanism is adjusted to efiect the same.

The operative parts are all thrown back of the face-plate of the draw-head, thereby being placed where they will give no obstruction, nor meet with such.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination of the sliding plate a,

arms B and. b, rod 6, and loop 0, substam. In testimony that I claim the foregoingas tially as described. my own I afiix my signature in presence of 2. The combination of the plate a, arms 1), two Witnesses. rod 6, and loop 0, substantially as described. HENRY H. POTTER.

3. The draw-headA and plate a, in com- Witnesses: bination with the arms B b, rod 0, and loop 0, H. B. BROW1 substantially as described. ALBIN M. L6NG. 

